My previous attempt at a ladies sneaker yielded some very interesting feedback. I had always assumed that the low-cut vintage canvas style was universally appreciated. Instead, the reception from the women I know revealed a deep split between those who love the high contrast color and tom-boy aesthetic of a vulcanized canvas shoes, and others who would never think of wearing a pair of shoes with a thick white rubber midsole and toecap.

With that in mind, I wanted to take a crack at a basic women’s urban biking/athletic shoe. I started from a basic running silhouette with a thin molded midsole and low collar height. My main goal while designing this shoe was to keep the detail count to a minimum while still achieving a unique and branded design.

The toecap, eyestay and heel counter are intended to be suede, as in my experience it’s the most durable leather for the consistent abrasion of pedal toe clips. The quarter underlay is a breathable mesh in the forefoot joined by closed seam with a tight weave single layer textile in the heel for stability. I chose to include a T-toe style toecap for better pedal clip coverage and structural support for the mesh vamp. 

Here is a mid-cut version of my previous urban bike shoe. The toe/vamp is essentially unchanged from the low version to maintain the same simple functionality with pedal clips or skateboarding flip tricks. The strap on the mid-cut has the added advantage of allowing the hipster user to pop the tongue out from their denim pant leg without sacrificing a secure fit through the midfoot. Mid and hightops are embraced by the sneaker head set more than the average consumer so I dialed up the volume of the brown colorway compared to the low version.

I just finished my second footwear design concept in this first series. This design is an all purpose urban bike/skate sneaker with a thick midfoot strap for fit.

I almost always tie my main bike sneakers once and then kick them on and off without untying. The strap will allow a quick secure fit without sacrificing the function and aesthetic of laces. To ensure this concept would be suitable for skateboarding, I designed the midsole to have a low sidewall in the forefoot so the user can be closer to the board. The ‘ollie’ area of the shoe has minimal structural stitching exposed to the grip tape. The vanity stitching will wear away like any skateboard shoe, but the assembly of the quarter, eyestay and toe should remain intact for the life of the shoe.